US drilling activity continues to climb

By OGJ editorsHOUSTON, Dec. 8 -- US drilling activity continued to climb, up by 7 units this week with 1,724 rotary rigs working, compared with 1,483 during the same period a year ago, said Baker Hughes Inc.

The bulk of this week's gain was in inland waters, with a 5-rig increase to 28 drilling. Land operations increased by 3 rigs with 1,611 units working. Offshore drilling decreased by 1 rig to 85 still active in US waters, with the Gulf of Mexico unchanged at 82 rigs working.

Texas registered the biggest gain among the major producing states, up by 13 rotary rigs to 784 drilling. Colorado increased by 4 to 91, and Louisiana added 1 for a total of 194. Oklahoma and Wyoming lost 4 rigs each to 179 and 86, respectively. New Mexico dropped 3 to 94. California lost 2 to 34, and Alaska was down by 1 rig to 6.

Canada's weekly rig count increased by 21 to 463 but was still below the 679 rigs that were working at that same time last year.